Today officials from the New Mexico State Fair along with leaders representing the Brewers Guild and La Cumbre Brewing Co. announced an exciting new collaboration with the development of a "New Mexico State Fair Beer." La Cumbre Brewing Company was selected by the Brewers Guild to produce the New Mexico State Fair beer, a cream ale, which incorporates New Mexico grown hops. At today's press availability, officials revealed the festive turquoise blue can which displays the new logo of the New Mexico State Fair.

The "farm to can" craft beer will be sold in cans and on tap by local retailers and restaurants leading up to the Fair, and will be sold on site as the official beer of the 2015 New Mexico State Fair which runs September 10 - 20. (A list of package retailers, bars and restaurants which will sell the beer is attached.) The New Mexico State Fair cream ale will also be for sale at the city's Freedom Fourth event at Balloon Fiesta Park as part of the La Cumbre tent.

The partnership was a natural fit for the State Fair and the Brewers Guild. The Guild supports the development of the burgeoning craft brew industry in New Mexico, and the New Mexico State Fair is charged with creating an annual State Fair experience that reflects and showcases New Mexico's agriculture, industries, arts, science and technology. The state has over two dozen established microbreweries and brew pubs which make significant contributions to New Mexico's economy.

La Cumbre Brewing Company, owned and operated by Jeff Erway, has been brewing beer in New Mexico since 2010, and recently underwent a major 2.1 million dollar expansion of its local operation. Erway goes to painstaking effort to incorporate as many local ingredients as possible. The development of the "New Mexico State Fair" beer has spurred conversations with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to enhance New Mexico's agricultural capabilities in order to continue to grow the industry into the future with an even greater focus on local production.

"The New Mexico State Fair is all about bringing folks together to have a great time, which is why we are so pleased to partner with the Guild and La Cumbre to create an official New Mexico State Fair beer," said New Mexico State Fair Commission Chairman Larry Kennedy. "It is an opportunity for us to highlight a great local craft beer industry as well as all the cool things that happen at the Fair which includes an exceptional food and beverage experience unique to our event."

"Promoting local industries and agriculture is consistent with the mission of the New Mexico State Fair, so we jumped at the opportunity to partner with the guild and La Cumbre for this exciting endeavor," stated New Mexico State Fair General Manager Dan Mourning. "It is another example of how the fair is taking an innovative approach to attracting more folks to the event and providing an even more unique and interesting experience for fairgoers."

"The spirit of collaboration is fundamental in the craft brewing industry, so when the idea came about to work with New Mexico State Fair on a commemorative beer, we jumped at the opportunity," said Christopher Goblet with the New Mexico Brewers Guild. "New Mexico State Fair is the epitome of summertime fun and we wanted to design a beer and label that would live up to that experience."Jeff Erway, President of La Cumbre Brewing Co. elaborated on the partnership and use of local ingredients: "Utilizing New Mexico grown whole leaf hops from the Abbey of Christ in the Desert and New Mexico State University's own yards, we have crafted a refreshing and quaffable cream ale to pair perfectly with New Mexico's ever popular State Fair. Light in body, but not in flavor, this is the beer to reach for throughout the New Mexico summer."